Plaster cast opening means



OGL 20, l942- H. A. c. BRINKMANN PLASTER CAST ,OPENING MEANS Filed Dec. 3l, 1941 @,EEE@ E WEEEEEE@ m- Patentedv Oct. 20, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,299,125 PLAs'rEn .cAs'r orENmG MEANS Harry A. C. Brinkmann, Indianapolis, Ind.

Application December 31, 1941, Serial No. 425,105

2 Claims. (Cl. 12B-317) This invention relates to casts commonly employed in treating fractures, sprains and the like,

or in any instance where it is desired to immobilize a part or member of the human body. 'I'he invention primarily relates to means for removing the cast without pain or injury to the encased member. The invention is applied to the well known plaster-type cast.

A primary object of the invention is to incorporate in the cast means for cutting or tearing a slot thereacross without having to use a knife or saw as has heretofore been the common practice. A still further important object of the invention'k is to premit the opening of the cast for inspection of the encased member without having to remove the entire cast to the end that the cast may be continued in use without having to discard it following thevopening thereof.

These and many other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those versed in the art in the following descriptionv of one particular form of the invention as illustrated more or less diagrammatically in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a fragmentary length of a leg cast;

Fig. 2, a view in transverse section on the line 2-2 in Fig. 1:

Figu3, a view in front of a cutting tape; and

Fig. 4, a view in edge elevation thereof.

Like characters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views in the drawing.

rReferring to the drawing, it is to be understood, of course, that the invention is not limited to the one precise formof cast shown, this particular form of cast being shown simply for the purpose of illustration. In this form of cast, the

elevation of a length cast is built up in the usual manner by first ap plying a fabric sleeve or stocking I next to the skin of the person to whom the cast is to be applied and then a strip of fabric in the nature of a wide tape of gauze II, previously impregnated with plaster of Paris and dipped in water, is wound around the stocking Ill` in overlapping layers to build up thecast to the desired thickness, this'thickness, of course, varying as the doctor or operator may desire for the particular situation.

In anticipation of opening the cast, generally designated by the numeral I2, one or morey lengths of a metal tape I3 are placed either immediately against the outer side of the stocking III or on the outside of one or more layers of the fabric strip Il in positions along which the cast opening is to be made.

The tape I3 is preferably made to be exceedingly thinand on the order of a few thousandths inches in thickness so that it is quite flexible. The width is not critical since it may vary, although, of course, it is desired to hold vthe width within practical limits to avoid excessive cost, a practical width being around three-eighths inches. The longitudinal edges of the tape are left with sharp corners and the tape itself is provided with protruding parts in order to effect v engagement with the overlapping fabric tape II and embedding with the plaster of Paris carried thereby. In the particular form shown, the tape I3 is regularly. punched from one side to push out protuberances Il from the other side in the nature of a roughened surface of a grater or shredder, the protuberances preferably being perforated. at their center outermost parts to leave roughened edges. In other words, there is a minute hole left with a torn edge for ready engagement with the fabric tape and the plaster carried thereby. While such an engaging means is preferable, the invention is not to be limited to that precise form since the necessary structure in this regard is to provide engaging means along the tape I3 which will preventlongitudinal slippage of the tape within the cast I2 when it is in a dried state. l

While reference has been vmade above to the tape I3 being made of metal, the material is not intended to be flimited thereto. IFor example, the tape may be highly serviceable if made out of Celluloid or synthetic resins which will give a sufficiently sharp rigid cutting edge and` yet at the same time be suiciently flexible to permit bending of the tape laterally from the cast without breaking. The important characteristics of the tape in this respect are that the tape be flexible and yet relatively non-stretching and sulciently hard along the edges at least to form cutting edges. Furthermore, in some instances, it will be su'icient to merely perforate the tape I3 in place of providing the protuberances. Obviously other patterns' of a roughened surface may be employed than .that` shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

The tape I3 is provided with a suicient length to have one end at least thereof extend from the end of the cast I2. When the cast is to be removed, this end is grasped and pulled outwardly to cause one or both edges of the tape to exert a shearing action against the overlapping layers of the fabric tape III and the hard plaster between and through those layers. 'I'he tape I3 may, of course, be given a slightly twisting action asitis pulled away from the cast I2 so as to have the shearing action principally along one edge of the tape. Where the finished cast is relatively thin, one of these metal tapes I3 on one side of-the cast is sulcient since the .tape will cut through that side of the cast, whereupon the cast may be spread and broken apart.

On the other hand where it is desirable to cut the cast into two parts, the tape may be pembedded on opposite sides of the cast, as above described, so that the cast may thereby be sheared by the respective tapes. If it is desired to provide for inspection of the encased member, then a number of tapes may be arranged, particularly when the cast is quite thick, to permit the cutting away of a longitudinal window down along one side of the cast. To provide for cutting such a window, the lengths of tapes I5 and I8, Figs. 1 and 2, may be initially placed in spaced apart relation along one side of the cast and embedded in the innermost part thereof. Then the fabric tape I I may be wrapped around andover these two innermost strips I5 and I6. Over this additional fabric wrapping are placed two more lengths of metal strips I'I and I8 -off center in relation to the underlying strips I5 andIS. .I'hese strips I'I and I8 are held in position by an additional wrapping thereover of the fabric tape I I to be followed by the positioning of other lengths of metal tape I9 and 20 followed by the finishing wrapping over these last metal tapes. The numbers of these lengths of metal tape will vary, depending upon the thickness of the cast. The purpose of using the number of tapes one over the other is to permit ready cutting through' of the overlapping fabric tape II without having to exert too much force which would be the case should only one tape be employed.

In any event by first pulling outwardly on the two outermost tape lengths I9 and 20, and then following successively with the next underlying place by tape wrapped thereover.

'tapes I1, I8 and then I5, I6, a window is cut down to th'e first layer of fabric tape I I or even to the stocking I 0, depending upon where the innermost tapes I5 and I6 were initially positioned. This leaves a window through the cast having inclined side edges so that ready access may be had to the encased member through that window.

Following the inspection through the window, if the encased member is in a satisfactory condition, the window may be left open if desired and tape wrapped around the cast I2 to prevent spreading thereof, or the opening cut to form the window may be filled in and the filling held in It is obvious that various positionings of lengths of the metal tape I3 may be had in accordance lwith th'e particular shape of cast encountered. For example, as indicated in Fig. l, where the casting con# tinues down over the foot, a horizontally disposed length of tape 2l may be embodied in the cast as it is built up for the purpose of providing an additional opening. Qt course, the lines of opening of the cast will depend upon the desire of the operator, but in any event the invention is flexible enough to permit meeting these desires.

Since the metal tape I3 is embossed or provided with roughened surfaces, the tape cannot be pulled up longitudinally from between the layers of fabric tape II and the solidified plaster since the roughened surface of the tape provides secure interlocking with this plaster. Obviously such means for opening a cast is extremely safe, fast, and painless and easily operated. Wh'ere the metal tape I3 is applied directly in contact with the inner 'stocking I0, the tape may be made out of such metal as stainless steel or plated metal to prevent corrosion or chemical reaction adjacent the skin of the encased member.

'lhus it is to be seen that a means is provided forl opening a plaster 'cast without having to employ any particular or special devices or machinery and this is of particular advantage where the patient is to be examined at home or removed from a hospital or the office of a surgeon. Moreover the cost of the tape is exceedingly low in comparison with the cost of general treatment (and with the cost of having to have on hands the special machinery heretofore required. Obviously th'e metal tape I3 may be supplied in suitable rolls or spools from which the desired lengths may be cut at random.

While I have herein shown and described my invention in the one particular form, it is obvious that structural variations may be employed without departing from the spirit of the invention and I therefore do not desire to be limited to th'at precise form beyond the limitations as may be imposed by the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a plaster cast, the combination of overlapping windings of fabric impregnated with plaster; a `length of tape along one side of the cast and imbedded between layers of said windings throughout a length of the cast, to have at least one end of the tape extend from the cast; and said tape being ribbon-like in nature to have a width greatly exceeding its thickness and having straight line cutting edges.

2. In a plaster cast, the combination of overlapping windings of fabric impregnated with plaster; a length of tape along one side of the cast and imbedded between layers of said. windings throughout a length of the cast, to have at least one end of the tape extend from th'e cast; and said tape being ribbon-like in nature to have a width greatly exceeding its thickness and having straight line cutting edges; and an additional like tape between other windings of said fabric spaced thereby from said first tape and held in a superimposed, parallel, overlapping in part only position in relation to said first tape, whereby one ilat tape is partially offset laterally in respect to the other tape. A

HARRY A. C. BRINKMANN. 

